Heat exchanger for vehicle

ABSTRACT

A heat exchanger for a vehicle may include a heat absorbing portion storing the first operating fluid therein, receiving heat from a heating unit, and evaporating a first operating fluid so as to change a phase of the first operating fluid to a gas state, and at least one heat radiating unit provided with at least one coupling pipe formed by coupling at least one plate at which at least one protruding portion is formed along a length direction, and having an end connected to the heat absorbing portion, wherein a connecting line in which the first operating fluid changing the phase thereof in the heat absorbing portion flows is formed in the coupling pipe, and the first operating fluid flowing in the coupling pipe is cooled and condensed by heat-exchange with a second operating fluid passing an outside of the coupling pipe.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority of Korean Patent Application Number 10-2011-0131564 filed Dec. 9, 2011, the entire contents of which application is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a heat exchanger for a vehicle improving heat emitting performance of operating fluid using heat-exchanging principle of evaporation type.

2. Description of Related Art

Generally, a heat pipe is used as a heat exchanging device that transfers heat in a non-powered manner by using latent heat of vaporization of operating fluid even though temperature difference is small.

The heat pipe is manufactured by inserting the operating fluid in an airtight container and removing air from the airtight container. If an end of the heat pipe is heated, the operating fluid stored in the heat pipe is evaporated and pressure difference occurs between both ends of the heat pipe. In this case, the operating fluid is moved by the pressure difference and radiates heat to the surroundings. After that, the operating fluid having radiated heat is condensed and cooled, and returns to a heated portion.

The heat pipe is manufactured by storing the operating fluid in the vacuum pipe. An evaporating portion operated as an evaporator is provided at one end portion of the heat pipe and a condensing portion operated as a condenser is provided at the other end portion of the heat pipe. In addition, the heat pipe may have wick or not. The wick maintains wet state of an interior wall of the heat pipe. The wick has capillary tubular shape and is divided into groove type, mesh type, and sinter type.

Generally, the heat pipe is a single pipe structure, the wick is formed at an interior circumference of the heat pipe, and an inner space of the heat pipe forms a flow pathway of the evaporated operating fluid.

The heat pipe is used as a heat exchanger that cools a heating unit radiating a large amount of heat.

However, it is difficult to form the wick at the interior circumference of a conventional heat pipe, and manufacturing cost may increase. In addition, since an exterior circumference of the heat pipe is smooth, turbulence is hard to be formed at air passing an outside of the heat pipe. Therefore, heat-exchanging efficiency may not increase efficiently compared with the manufacturing cost.

The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Various aspects of the present invention provide for having advantages of improving heat emitting performance of operating fluid using heat-exchanging principle of evaporation type.

Various aspects of the present invention provide for a heat exchanger for a vehicle that may include a heat absorbing portion storing the first operating fluid therein, receiving heat from a heating unit, and evaporating a first operating fluid so as to change a phase of the first operating fluid to a gas state, and at least one heat radiating unit provided with at least one coupling pipe formed by coupling at least one plate at which at least one protruding portion is formed along a length direction, and having an end connected to the heat absorbing portion, wherein a connecting line in which the first operating fluid changing the phase thereof in the heat absorbing portion flows is formed in the coupling pipe, and the first operating fluid flowing in the coupling pipe is cooled and condensed by heat-exchange with a second operating fluid passing an outside of the coupling pipe.

The heat absorbing portion may evaporate the first operating fluid stored therein using the heat transferred from the heating unit and may move the evaporated first operating fluid of gas state to the heat radiating unit by pressure difference due to volume expansion of the first operating fluid and capillary phenomenon.

The protruding portion may be formed integrally at the plate by pressing.

The protruding portion may be provided with an exterior circumference and an interior circumference formed with semi-circular shape and is disposed as spiral shape along a length direction of the plate.

The protruding portion may be not formed at both end portions of the heat radiating unit.

The coupling pipe may be a circular pipe formed by a plurality of protruding portions, and an interior circumference and an exterior circumference of the coupling pipe may be formed as spiral shape such that vortex is generated at the condensed first operating fluid of a liquid state flowing in the connecting line by rotation of the first operating fluid and the second operating fluid passing the outside of the connecting pipe is caused to form turbulence.

The coupling pipe, in a state that the protruding portions of a pair of plates are disposed so as to be protruded toward the outside, may be formed by coupling the pair of plates.

The neighboring heat radiating units may be disposed alternately in a width direction such that the coupling pipe of one of the neighboring heat radiating units is disposed between neighboring coupling pipes of the other of the heat radiating units.

The number of the coupling pipes included in the heat radiating unit may be changed according to a size of the heat absorbing portion.

The coupling pipes consisting of one heat radiating unit may be releaseably assembled with each other.

A plurality of rows of protruding portions may be formed at one plate, and the one plate may be folded to form the heat radiating unit such that one row of protruding portions is connected to another row of protruding portions so as to form the coupling pipe.

The plate may be provided with at least one flowing hole formed between the coupling pipes.

At least one first mounting hole may be formed at a surface of the heat absorbing portion corresponding to the heat radiating unit along a length direction of the heat absorbing portion.

The heat radiating unit may further include a connecting portion for preventing the first operating fluid flowing through the heat radiating unit from leaking to the outside, and the connecting portion may be mounted at the other end of the heat radiating unit corresponding to the heat absorbing portion so as to fix the other end portion of the heat radiating unit.

At least one second mounting hole may be formed at a surface of the connecting portion corresponding to the heat radiating unit along a length direction of the connecting portion.

The second operating fluid may be air.

Flowing direction of the first operating fluid passing in the heat radiating unit may be perpendicular to that of the air passing the outside of the heat radiating unit.

The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary heat exchanger for a vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary heat radiating unit applicable to a heat exchanger for a vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary heat radiating unit applicable to a heat exchanger for a vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are schematic diagrams for showing operation of an exemplary heat exchanger for a vehicle according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger for a vehicle according to various embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a heat radiating unit applicable to a heat exchanger for a vehicle according to various embodiments of the present invention; and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a heat radiating unit applicable to a heat exchanger for a vehicle according to various embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, a heat exchanger 100 for a vehicle according to various embodiments of the present invention is adapted to improve heat emitting performance of operating fluid using heat-exchanging principle of evaporation type. According to the heat-exchanging principle of evaporation type, boiling point of the operating fluid is lowered at low pressure, the operating fluid is easily evaporated, and the operating fluid at a side is moved to the other side by pressure difference due to volume expansion of the operating fluid and capillary phenomenon and exchanges heat.

For these purpose, a heat exchanger 100 for a vehicle according to various embodiments of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, includes a heat absorbing portion 110 and a heat radiating unit 120.

The operating fluid is stored in the heat absorbing portion 110. The heat absorbing portion 110 receives heat from the heating unit 102 and evaporate the operating fluid so as to change a phase of the operating fluid to a gas state.

The heating unit 102 radiates very large amount of heat, and electric components, a motor, or a fuel cell in the vehicle may be used as the heating unit 102.

The heat absorbing portion 110 evaporates the operating fluid stored therein by using heat provided from the heating unit 102, and moves the operating fluid of gas state to the heat radiating unit 120 by using pressure difference occurring due to volume expansion of the evaporated operating fluid and capillary phenomenon.

A plurality of the first mounting holes 112 corresponding to the heat radiating unit 120 is formed at a surface of the heat absorbing portion 110 along a length direction with even distance.

Therefore, an end of the heat radiating unit 120 is inserted in the first mounting hole 112 such that the heat radiating unit 120 and the heat absorbing portion 110 are connected to each other.

According to various embodiments, the heat radiating unit 120 includes a plurality of coupling pipes 148 formed by assembling plates 122 at which at least one protruding portion 124 is formed along a length direction. A connecting line 126 is formed in the coupling pipe 128. The operating fluid changing its phase in the heat absorbing portion 110 flows in the connecting line 126.

A plurality of heat radiating units 120 is provided, and the end of the heat radiating unit 120 is connected to the heat absorbing portion 110. The heat radiating unit 120 is adapted to cause the operating fluid passing an outside of the coupling pipe 128 and the operating fluid flowing in the connecting line 126 to exchange heat with each other. Therefore, the operating fluid flowing in the connecting line 126 is cooled and condensed.

The heat exchanger 100 may be an air-cooled heat exchanger. That is, the operating fluid that exchanges heat with the operating fluid changing its phase to gas state in the heat absorbing portion 110 and passing through the connecting line 126 of the coupling pipe 128 and passes the outside of the coupling pipe 128 is air.

Flowing direction of the operating fluid flowing in the connecting line 126 of the coupling pipe 128 is perpendicular to that of the air passing the outside of the coupling pipe 128.

Therefore, since the operating fluid and the air exchange heat with each other while flowing in different directions according to the heat exchanger 100, heat may be exchanged more efficiently.

The neighboring heat radiating units 120, as shown in FIG. 3, are disposed alternately in a width direction of the heat absorbing portion 110. That is, the coupling pipe 128 of one of the neighboring heat radiating units 120 is disposed between neighboring coupling pipes 128 of the other of the neighboring heat radiating units 120.

According to various embodiments, the plurality of heat radiating units 120 is disposed in multi-layers on the heat absorbing portion 110, and thereby contact area between the air passing the outside of the heat radiating unit 120 and the external circumference of the coupling pipe 128 can be increased.

An exterior circumference and an interior circumference of the protruding portion 124, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, are formed with semi-circular shape according to various embodiments. The plurality of protruding portions 124 is disposed as spiral shape along a length direction of the plate 122.

Herein, the protruding portion 124 is not formed at both end portions of the heat radiating unit 120. Since the end portion of the heat radiating unit 120 is inserted in the first mounting hole 112 formed at the heat absorbing portion 110, straight line sections are formed at the both end portions of the heat radiating unit 120 so as to seal between the heat absorbing portion 110 and the heat radiating unit 120.

The protruding portion 124 can be integrally and/or monolithically formed at the plate 122 by pressing.

According to various embodiments, the coupling pipe 128 is a circular pipe formed by the plurality of protruding portions 124, and an interior circumference and an exterior circumference of the coupling pipe 128 are formed as spiral shape.

When the operating fluid evaporated and changing its phase to gas state in the heat absorbing portion 110 passes through the connecting line 126 of the coupling pipe 128, the operating fluid is cooled and condensed so as to change its phase to liquid state through heat-exchanging with the air.

After that, the operating fluid changing its phase to liquid state while passing through the connecting line 126 is flowed back to the heat absorbing portion 110 through the connecting line 126. At this time, the coupling pipe 128 causes the operating fluid to rotate so as to generate vortex.

In addition, the air passing the outside of the coupling pipe 128 is caused to form turbulence such that heat-exchanging efficiency between the operating fluid and the air may be improved.

The operating fluid of gas state changing its phase in the heat absorbing portion 110 by heat of the heating unit 102 flows along a center portion of the coupling pipe 128, and exchanges heat with the operating fluid of liquid state flowing along an exterior circumference of the connecting line 126.

According to various embodiments, the heat radiating unit 120 further includes a connecting portion 132 for preventing the operating fluid flowing through the heat radiating unit 120 from leaking to the outside. The connecting portion is mounted at the other end of the heat radiating unit 120 corresponding to the heat absorbing portion 110 so as to fix the other end portion of the hear radiating unit 120.

A plurality of the second insertion holes 134 corresponding to the heat radiating unit 120 is formed at a surface of the connecting portion 132 along a length direction with even distance.

Therefore, the other end portion of the heat radiating unit 120 is inserted in the second mounting hole 134. Therefore, the heat radiating unit 120 connects the heat absorbing portion 110 with the connecting portion 132.

The connecting portion 132 is connected to the other end portion of the heat radiating unit 120, and the non-condensed operating fluid among the operating fluid of gas state flowing through the connecting line 126 of the coupling pipe 128 is gathered in the connecting portion 132. Therefore, the connecting portion 132 prevents the operating fluid of gas state from leaking to the outside.

In a case that the operating fluid of gas state changes its phase in the connecting portion 132, the connecting portion 132 causes the operating fluid to flow toward the heat absorbing portion 110 through the connecting line 126.

Meanwhile, it is exemplified in the present illustrated exemplary embodiment but is not limited to that the connecting portion 132 is mounted at the other end portion of the heat radiating unit 120. That is, a cap instead of the connecting portion 132 may be mounted at the other end of each coupling pipe 128 or the other end of each coupling pipe 128 may be closed by welding.

A pair of plates 122 is coupled to form a pipe shape in a state that the protruding portions 124 of the pair of plates 122 are disposed so as to be protruded toward the outside. Thereby, the coupling pipe 128 is formed.

That is, in a state that the pair of plates 122 is disposed such that inner surfaces of the protruding portions 124 formed at the pair of plates 122 face each other, the pair of plates 122 are coupled to each other so as to form the coupling pipe 128 having the connecting line 126 therein.

Herein, the pair of plates 122 may be coupled by welding.

The number of the coupling pipes 128 included in the heat radiating unit 120 can be controlled according to a size of the heat absorbing portion 110. In addition, the coupling pipes 128 consisting of one heat radiating unit 120 are releasably assembled.

One heat radiating unit 120, as shown in FIG. 3, includes two coupling pipes 128 according to various embodiments. That is, the number of coupling pipes 128 consisting of one heat radiating unit 120 can be controlled according to the size of heat absorbing portion 110. In addition, the desirable number of coupling pipes 128 may be disassembled from the heat radiating unit 120 including a plurality of coupling pipes 128 according to the number of the coupling pipes 128.

Meanwhile, at least one flowing hole 129 may be formed between the coupling pipes 128 in the plate 122 according to various embodiments. The flowing hole 129 is formed along a length direction of the plate 122.

After the protruding portion 124 is formed at the plate 122 by pressing, the flowing hole 129 may be formed by punching.

Herein, the flowing hole 129 enables the air passing the outside of the heat radiating unit 120 to flow between a surface and the other surface of the heat radiating unit 120. Therefore, flow of the air at an exterior circumference of the coupling pipe 128 can be uniformalized. Therefore, heat-exchanging efficiency between the operating fluid and the air can be further enhanced.

According to various embodiments, two plates 122 are assembled with each other so as to form the heat radiating unit 120. However, this is not limited. A plurality of rows of protruding portions 124 is formed at one plate 122, and the one plate 122 is folded to form the heat radiating unit 120 such that one row of protruding portions 124 is connected to another row of protruding portions 124 so as to form the coupling pipe 128 having the connecting line 126.

Hereinafter, operation and function of the heat exchanger 100 for the vehicle according to various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are schematic diagrams for showing operation of a heat exchanger for a vehicle according to various embodiments of the present invention.

If heat is transferred from the heating unit 102 to the heat absorbing portion 110, the operating fluid stored in the heat absorbing portion 110 is evaporated and changes its phase from liquid state to gas state.

The operating fluid changing its phase to the gas state in the heat absorbing portion 110 flows along the connecting line 126 of the coupling pipe 128 by pressure difference due to volume expansion and capillary phenomenon.

In this case, the operating fluid of gas state flows along a center portion of the connecting line 126 and is cooled and condensed through heat-exchange with the air.

If the operating fluid of gas state flowing through the connecting line 126 is condensed and cooled through heat-exchange with the air and changes its phase to liquid state, the operating fluid flows to the heat absorbing portion 110 along the interior circumference of the connecting line 126 of the coupling pipe 128.

In addition, the operating fluid of gas state that does not change its phase while flowing through the coupling pipe 128 is flowed into the connecting portion 132. After that, if the operating fluid of gas state changes its phase to liquid state in the connecting portion 132, the operating fluid flows to the heat absorbing portion 110 along the interior circumference of the connecting line 126.

At this time, since the protruding portions 124 of the coupling pipe 128 are formed as spiral shape, the operating fluid of liquid state flowing in the connecting line 126 toward the heat absorbing portion 110 is rotated to generate the vortex.

Herein, the turbulence is formed at the air by spiral shape of the protruding portion 124 when the air passes the outside of the coupling pipe 128, as shown in FIG. 7.

Simultaneously, the air is distributed evenly to the surface and the other surface of the heat radiating unit 120 in the multi-layers through the flowing hole 129. Therefore, the air exchanges heat with the operating fluid efficiently.

At this time, since the operating fluid of gas state and the operating fluid of liquid state flowing in the coupling pipe 128 to opposite directions exchange heat with each other, heat-exchange efficiency may be enhanced and heat radiating performance of the heat exchanger 100 may be increased.

Meanwhile, the operating fluid passing the outside of the heat radiating unit 120 and operated as heat-exchange medium is air according to various embodiments, but the operating fluid is not limited to the air. Liquid, not solid, can be used as the heat-exchange medium.

In addition, the heat exchanger 100 according to various embodiments of the present invention can be used to various applications including the vehicle.

Therefore, the heat exchanger 100 for a vehicle according to various embodiments of the present invention is adapted to improve heat radiating performance of the operating fluid using heat-exchanging principle of evaporation type.

In addition, since the turbulence is generated at the operating fluid passing the outside of the heat radiating unit by changing flow of the operating fluid, heat-exchanging efficiency with the operating fluid flowing in the heat radiating unit may be improved.

In addition, since the protruding portions 124 of spiral shape are integrally formed at the plate 122 by pressing and the coupling pipe 128 is formed by assembling the protruding portions 124, manufacturing cost may be lowered compared with a conventional heat pipe.

For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms upper or lower, front or rear, inside or outside, and etc. are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.

The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat exchanger for a vehicle comprising: a heat absorbing portion storing a first operating fluid therein, receiving heat from a heating unit, and evaporating the first operating fluid to change a phase of the first operating fluid to a gas state; and at least one heat radiating unit including at least one coupling pipe formed by coupling at least one plate having at least one protruding portion formed along a length direction, and having an end connected to the heat absorbing portion; wherein a connecting line in which the first operating fluid changing the phase thereof in the heat absorbing portion flows is formed in the coupling pipe, and the first operating fluid flowing in the coupling pipe is cooled and condensed by heat-exchange with a second operating fluid passing an outside of the coupling pipe.
 2. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the heat absorbing portion evaporates the first operating fluid stored therein using the heat transferred from the heating unit and moves the evaporated first operating fluid of gas state to the heat radiating unit by pressure difference due to volume expansion of the first operating fluid and capillary phenomenon.
 3. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the protruding portion is formed integrally at the plate by pressing.
 4. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the protruding portion is provided with an exterior circumference and an interior circumference formed with semi-circular shape and is disposed as spiral shape along a length direction of the plate.
 5. The heat exchanger of claim 4, wherein the protruding portion is not formed at both end portions of the heat radiating unit.
 6. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the coupling pipe is a circular pipe formed by a plurality of protruding portions, and an interior circumference and an exterior circumference of the coupling pipe are formed as spiral shape such that a vortex is generated at the condensed first operating fluid of a liquid state flowing in the connecting line by rotation of the first operating fluid and the second operating fluid passing the outside of the connecting pipe is caused to form turbulence.
 7. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the coupling pipe, in a state that the protruding portions of a pair of plates are disposed to protrude toward the outside, is formed by coupling the pair of plates.
 8. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the neighboring heat radiating units are disposed alternately in a width direction such that the coupling pipe of one of the neighboring heat radiating units is disposed between neighboring coupling pipes of the other of the heat radiating units.
 9. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the number of the coupling pipes included in the heat radiating unit is changed according to a size of the heat absorbing portion.
 10. The heat exchanger of claim 9, wherein the coupling pipes consisting of one heat radiating unit are releasably assembled with each other.
 11. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein a plurality of rows of protruding portions is formed at one plate, and the one plate is folded to form the heat radiating unit such that one row of protruding portions is connected to another row of protruding portions to form the coupling pipe.
 12. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the plate is provided with at least one flowing hole formed between the coupling pipes.
 13. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein at least one first mounting hole is formed at a surface of the heat absorbing portion corresponding to the heat radiating unit along a length direction of the heat absorbing portion.
 14. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the heat radiating unit further includes a connecting portion for preventing the first operating fluid flowing through the heat radiating unit from leaking to the outside, and the connecting portion is mounted at the other end of the heat radiating unit corresponding to the heat absorbing portion to fix the other end portion of the heat radiating unit.
 15. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein at least one second mounting hole is formed at a surface of the connecting portion corresponding to the heat radiating unit along a length direction of the connecting portion.
 16. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the second operating fluid is air.
 17. The heat exchanger of claim 16, wherein flowing direction of the first operating fluid passing in the heat radiating unit is perpendicular to that of the air passing the outside of the heat radiating unit. 